Learn about ecosystem indicators and the quest for Puget Sound health

More than 100 people tuned in today to an online presentation
regarding the Puget Sound Partnership’s Vital Signs indicators and
the quest for ecological health.

While there was not much breaking news, the session turned out
to be a very nice summary of progress toward restoring ecological
functions in Puget Sound — or rather, in too many cases, the
ongoing declines in species and habitats.

One can review the entire two-hour webinar, in which a variety
of our leading Puget Sound experts chime in on their areas of
expertise. Go to Puget Sound
Partnership’s webpage and click on “Vital Signs Webinar.”

Because of the linkage between Vital Signs and Implementation
Strategies, many of the issues under discussion relate to stories
that I have been writing for the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
over the past two years. Check out 16 stories by various
writers on topics of ecosystem health found on the Puget Sound
Institute’s website.

One emerging issue brought up during the question-and-answer
portion of today’s webinar was what will happen to the Vital Signs
indicators and targets as the year 2020 approaches. The targets
were all established with a notion that if we could meet certain
goals by 2020, Puget Sound would be in pretty good shape. As it
turns out, almost none of the targets will be met by 2020, so the
struggle must go on.

Sometime this year, work will begin on a possible overhaul — or
at least a major update — of the Vital Signs indicators and
targets, according to officials with Puget Sound Partnership. Some
indicators, for example, reflect the success of restoration
projects by reporting the number of acres restored with no
accounting for acres lost somewhere else.

The targets were originally established with a sense of optimism
but without a clear understanding of what it would take, nor was
there any commitment of funds for improving a specific type of
habitat. As I see it, the uncertainty of financing will remain a
problem until the Legislature comes up with a dedicated funding
source.

Even if the targets remain the same, the target date of 2020
will need to be changed when we get to that year, if not sooner. I
discuss some of the benefits and pitfalls of changing the
indicators in a
Water Ways post I wrote in November while going over the 2017
State of the Sound report.

The Puget Sound
Science Panel, a team of expert advisers within the Puget Sound
Partnership, is expected to play a primary role in revising the
indicators and targets. I’m sure the discussion will address
implementation strategies, adaptive management and a process to get
Puget Sound on a more certain path to recovery.